Autumn, Cold Autumn
by Recode
Summary: Max loses her memory in an accident. The only thing that she could recall was a name but she didn't remember the person with the name... (M/L) R&R [COMPLETE!]
1. Scared

Title: Autumn, Cold Autumn  
Author: Angel (angel-cale@glay.org)  
Disc: Dark Angel belongs to Cameron/Eglee Productions and blah, blah, blah.. This fic is for entertainment purposes only. Please don't sue me...I'm just 15 @__@  
Spoiler: Pollo Loco (thanks to the one who corrected my spelling^__^)  
Summary: Max loses her memory in an accident. The only thing that she could recall was a name but she didn't remember the person with the name...  
  
=================================================  
  
CHAPTER I == Scared...  
  
The leaves had started to turn brown. The temperature was dropping... Everyone was aware of the approaching season. Autumn, or fall... The season of emotion. Max watched the evening from the window of her house. The saffron streak in the sky grew thinner, indicating the night was pushing in. Soon, a few burst of stars lit and the night bloomed in rendered dark cascades.  
  
'He's scared of me.'  
  
The words echoed over and over again in her ears. Those words made her feel sick. A part of her felt like breaking down and cry her heart out but her other half consoled her to stay calm. Calm? Could she stay calm? She tried to be... She tried to be calm but she couldn't. Since she found photos of herself in a yellow envelope at Logan's, everything went wrong.  
  
She couldn't concentrate on whatever she wanted to do. Earlier that morning, she had delivered a package to the wrong address. Normal nearly cut her pay for that. Standing still, she sighed heavily.  
  
"What's up, Boo?" Came a familiar voice. Of course it was her housemate, Original Cindy. "Fine," she muttered under her breath, still looking out of the window. She saw drops of water started to fall down the sky. Cindy shook her head and patted on Max's shoulder. "You're not fine, Boo. Does your problem have anything to do with Rollerboy?" Aha, the typical Original Cindy! Max felt something heavy hit her head at the mention of Logan. The echoes started again.  
  
'He's scared of me... Logan's scared of me!'  
  
She didn't know either to say 'yes' or 'no' to the question. She kept her silence while debating with her practical side.  
  
---------------------------------------------  
  
'Should I tell him that I know he has the photos?'  
  
-- Maybe you should...Maybe you shouldn't.  
  
'Where and how did he get them?'  
  
-- How would you know if you don't ask, idiot!  
  
'He didn't went to Lydecker, did he?'  
  
-- How can you be so sure?'  
  
'Logan won't do that! He won't turn his back on me!'  
  
-- Who knows? He's a man with thousands of secret.  
  
'And why did he have those weird expression when he looked at me?'  
  
-- 'Coz he's scared of you, you idiot!  
  
'He isn't! He...He can't!!'  
  
-- He is. Remember what he called you once?  
  
'. . . A killing machine...'  
  
-- Well.... Who won't be afraid of a killing machine, then?  
  
  
---------------------------------------------  
  
Burden... More burdens dawned upon her. The tiny drops of rain started to pour heavier and soon, it was raining like cat and dog. Rain... Rain made her feel even worse. Ignoring Cindy and her unanswered question, she began her pace to her room. She was on her third step when her pager blew. She glanced at the clock hanging on the wall. The person who'd page her at times like thi would be.... None other than Logan Cale. She looked at the pager and couldn't help but sigh. Indeed, it was Logan. "Cindy, I'll be back soon," she said almost in a whisper and ride her Ninja to Foggle Tower.   
  
She wasn't in the mood to talk to him over the phone. She wasn't in the mood to see him either but what to do? She was tied to their 'I help you, you help me' deal. He'd helped her so many times, so she had to help him back. As she reached there, she steadied herself, getting ready to face Logan's frightened look. 'Okay, Maxie... Let's go up.' She took the elevator up.   
  
'Ding!'   
  
'Okay, we're there. Just calm down.'  
  
She carefully picked the lock, went in and headed straight for the computer room. Logan was there, with Bling. "Hey, guys!" She greeted, trying to sound cheerful and it was a success. "Hey, Max~" Bling greeted back while Logan just gave her a light smile. In Max's idea, it was a nervous and fake smile. "So," she started, "you paged?" She asked, looking straight at Logan. "Yeah, I need you to get me a file. Er... It was a data disc, actually."  
  
He explained about the disc to her but she wasn't really listening. Her mind drifted off to a place no one could reach. The words 'He's scared of you!' echoed again.  
  
"Max...Hey, Max! Are you listening?"  
  
"Yah, sorry~ So, when do you want it?"  
  
"Well... Now."  
  
"Okay then. I'll be back soon. Just wait." With that, she blazed off. She couldn't stand the look on his face. It scratched her heart.  
  
"Man, is she okay?" Bling after she was gone. He was bewildered at the too-serious conversation between Max and Logan a while ago. Logan shrugged. "I don't know. Let's just hope she is."  
  
Meanwhile, Max had reached her target. Slowly, she slipped into a tall and large building with ease. She knew she would be safe because Logan told her that he'd hacked the security system earlier. 'Umm...Where's the disc?....Ah, there! Bingo! Better get back now.' She secured the disc in her leather jacket to keep it safe from the rain outside and got back to her Ninja.  
  
On the way back to Foggle Tower, she kept having a weird feeling deep inside of her. It wasn't really a feeling. It was some kind of... Premonition. It was as if something bad was about to happen. She tried to shrug it off but it just kept getting heavier. 'Stop thinking about something stupid!' She warned herself. She parked her bike and too the elevator up to Logan's. She was picking the lock when she heard Logan and Bling's conversation. Not wanting to interrupt, she sneaked in as silently as she could. She knew it's rude to listen to someone else's conversation but her curiosity won.  
  
"Logan, you don't think you were actually betraying her?"  
  
"A little. But I was out of my mind that day, okay! That's why I contacted Lydecker."  
  
++++++++++++++++++++++  
  
Max's heart sank. 'He did go to Lydecker...'  
  
++++++++++++++++++++++  
  
"What did he tell you?"  
  
"I don't know. I mean... He kept saying the X5s were designed to kill cold-heartedly and that Max isn't a girl next door."  
  
"Then he sent you these photo?" Bling asked, raising the photos in his hands.   
"Exactly."  
  
"Man, now I think I know why you've been looking at her with that weird expression lately. What's on your mind when you look at her?"  
  
"I don't know but I'm kinda...Scared."  
  
THUMP! Logan and Bling turned to the source of the sound. Their eyes widened in shock and realisation. "M--MAX?!"  
  
Her hands were shaking that she accidentally dropped the disc. She got her answer now. Logan was really SCARED of her. She found Logan and Bling panicking at the sight of her. She bottled all her emotions and stayed cool. She picked the disc up and handed it to Logan. "I--I got the disc you requested." Logan took the disc from her and she turned around to leave. "Max!" She stopped. "Max, I ... I was..." He didn't know what to say or do. He knew Max had heard him talking to Bling.  
  
"Max... I'm sorry."  
  
She shook her head and turned around with a bitter smile. Logan was taken aback at the pain he saw in her watery eyes. "It's okay, Logan. I already know about the photos you got there. You have nothing to apologize for. It's a right thing to be scared of a genetically engineered killing machine... Like me...Well, see you later." Before Logan could say anything, she was gone. He still felt the pain he saw in her brown eyes. Banging his hands on the table, he cursed.  
  
"Damn it... WHAT DID I DO??!!"  
  
  
  
********** To Be Continued ***********  
  
  
A/N: There goes the first chapter. R&R ^__^ The accident and lost of memory thing will be in next chapter --- 'Chapter II == Hurt...' 


	2. Hurt

Title: Autumn, Cold Autumn  
Author: Angel (angel-cale@glay.org)  
Disc: Dark Angel belongs to Cameron/Eglee Productions and blah, blah, blah.. This fic is for entertainment purposes only. Please don't sue me...I'm just 15 @__@  
Spoiler: Pollo Loco (thanks to the one who corrected my spelling^__^)  
Summary: Max loses her memory in an accident. The only thing that she could recall was a name but she didn't remember the person with the name...  
  
=================================================  
  
CHAPTER II == Hurt...  
  
"Max! Max! What's up, homegirl? What happened?" Original Cindy panicked as she banged her fists on Max's door. Max had locked herself in her room ever since she got back from Logan's but told Cindy nothing. She didn't want to talk about it. It stung like the strongest poison in the world. "Max, open the door!" Cindy called again. Max covered her ear with her hands and bellowed, "Just leave me alone!" That did it. Cindy was rendered speechless. She stopped banging the door and leaned against the door, confused.  
  
Then, a thought crossed her mind. 'That rich guy must have something to do with this!' She stormed to the living room to phone Logan but before she even touched it, the phone rang. Annoyed, she picked it up.  
  
"You'd better have a good explanation for calling at time like this," she snapped, noticing that it was already 11p.m.  
  
"Cindy? It's me."  
  
"Logan? I was about to call you. You know what the heck is wrong with Max? She locked herself in her room and wouldn't talk to me."  
  
"Well... Actually, we had a little... Misunderstanding. Is there a chance for me to talk to her now?"  
  
"Dear boy, Original Cindy doesn't think so. Listen I won't ask what caused the misunderstanding but I just want you guys to make it up as soon as possible. I have the feeling that she'd be freaking out at everyone at work tomorrow if you don't. Got it?"  
  
"I know but... Could you at least try to hand the phone to her, please?"  
  
"You aren't giving up, are you? Okay... Let's see what I can do. Hold on." Taking the phone along, she walked over to Max's door and knocked it three times. She tried to open the door and to her surprise, it wasn't locked! So, she sneaked inside slowly. "Max?" She went over to the figure lying on the bed and bent over to look at her.  
  
Funny...  
  
Max was fast asleep. Not only that surprised Cindy. She was more surprised when she noticed the traces of tears on Max's face. Not wanting to disturb her best friend, she went out and closed the door.  
  
"Er... Logan, you still there?"  
  
"Yes. Where's Max? She didn't want to talk to me?"  
  
"No. She's asleep and..."  
  
"And?"  
  
"It looks like she'd been crying."  
  
"Oh...Let her sleep, then. I'll contact her tomorrow."  
  
"You'd better. And remember. If anything happens to her, I'm gonna kick your sorry ass!"  
  
"I got it. Bye~"  
  
Their conversation stopped there. Logan almost screamed as he put the phone down. "Damn! Damn! DAMN!!" On the way back to his computer room, he knocked down a vase causing it to shatter. He didn't even care and Bling could do nothing but sigh. "Honestly, Logan," he began, "you should calm yourself down."  
  
"Calm myself down? You think it's easy?! I just caused a genetically enhanced girl to cry. Even fools know it takes all the pain in the world to make an X5 cry!"  
  
"It wasn't your fault."  
  
"It was my DAMN fault! I should've known that she'd come in here unannounced but I still... Said that 'words'. She trusts me, Bling. Now she must think I've betrayed her. I don't know how could I say I'm scared of her. I... I really care about her and I... I..."  
  
"And you love her," Bling finished the line for him. He just nodded. "I just don't know what to do now..."  
  
"C'mon, Logan~ Just explain everything to her. If you're lucky, she'll understand at once."  
  
"Yeah. *IF* I'm lucky..." Logan sighed, emphasizing the word 'if'.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Later that night, Max crept out of her room after Original Cindy went to sleep. She rested herself on the couch in the living room. She picked the phone up and dialled Logan's number. He picked the phone up almost immediately.  
  
"Hello? Who's there?" She could hear his voice but she didn't say anything. Her hands were shaking by then. "Hello? Hel--- Wait. Max, is that you?" 'How did he know?' Not saying anything, she hung up and tossed the phone across the room. 'What's wrong with me?' Her body shook as a river of tears claimed its way down her face...  
  
The next day, Max would throw a fierce comeback to those who made silly jokes out of her. Even Normal was afraid of her that day. Her eyes were icy cold and she hardly speaks to her friends at all. "Max," Normal called, "someone wants to see you." She turned around and saw Logan. When she stood still, Logan wheeled towards her with a light smile. "Hey, Max." "Hey yourself." She ignored him and walked out of the building. Sighing, he wheeled after her.  
  
"Max, we need to talk."  
  
"We are talking, aren't we?"  
  
"Max, please..."   
  
"What more is there to talk about? You said it clearly last night. You went to Lydecker behind my back."  
  
"I just contacted him to seek information. A mental X5 was killing people outside and you were after him alone. What if something happens to you?"  
  
"Still, you don't have to go to Lydecker. Did he give you the information you wanted? What about the photos?"  
  
"I didn't ask him to send me those. I was worried about you!" He felt a sudden rage built inside. 'This isn't part of the plan~' His mind panicked.  
  
"Worried that I might get hurt or worried that if there's a chance I'd go mental as well? I know, Logan. Ever since you got hold of those photos, you look at me with fear in your eyes. You look at me as if I'm a monster."  
  
"I was just shocked, okay?"  
  
"Shocked or scared?!"  
  
"Why is it so hard for you to understand? What do you want me to tell you? Is it 'Max, I'm so scared of you when you can kill people cold-heartedly and scared you might be like Ben'? You happy if I tell you that?" He regretted it as soon as the lines escaped his lips. Max halted. She turned around to face him with a pair of watery eyes. "I thought you know me better..." Her words were almost in a whisper. She ran across the road, unable to look at him anymore.  
  
"Max! Wait!" He tried to catch up with her. Max turned around and was about to yell 'Don't follow me' when she noticed a speeding truck heading towards Logan. "LOGAN!" Without thinking, she rushed to push him off the road. Saving him was on top of the list at that moment. The next moment, she felt so light, as if she was flying. Her vision seemed blurring. Then she saw darkness. The last thing she heard was Logan screaming, "MAX!!!"  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Logan was biting his thumb in front of the emergency room when Bling and Cindy arrived. "Logan," Cindy panted, "where's Max?" He gestured his hand to the emergency room. "How did it happen?" Bling asked out of curiosity. Logan shook his head and buried his face in his palms. "It was too fast.. Me... It was all because of me! The truck was heading towards me but she... She ran forth, pushed me off the road and then she... She..." His voice broke.  
  
Bling patted on his shoulder. "She's going to be okay. She's strong. She'll make it," he assured.  
  
"I don't know. I don't know. If she dies... I... I..."  
  
Original Cindy smacked him hard on the head. "Get yourself up gear and try to relax! You're not gonna change anything by regretting it all!" She shouted between sobs. About half an hour later the doctor came out. Max was brought to another room. "Doctor, how is she?" Logan asked impatiently. The doctor took adjusted his spectacles. "She's stable now. It's a miracle that only her right arm is broken but she also got a head injury. She'd lost a lot of blood and needed rest. I'm afraid she would have to stay here for a few weeks for monitoring."  
  
"Can we look at her now?"   
  
"Yes, you can. She's in room 452. Just be careful not to wake her up. Excuse me." "Thank you." The doctor left. Logan felt a wave of relief surged through his body. 'Thank God! Thank you for not taking her away from me!' The three of them found their way to room 452 and went in. Max was lying on the bed, looking so pale and so fragile. Logan didn't say a word. He wheeled beside her and stroked her face gently. Her head was bandaged and he prayed it didn't hurt too much. Silent tears trickled down his face as he locked his gaze on her.  
  
"I have to go. I'd have to inform Normal 'bout this." Cindy wiped her tears and bent over to kiss Max on the cheek. "Take care of my boo," she reminded and went off. Bling didn't know what to say about the situation. "Logan, I have to go back now. There's something I gotta take care of. If you want to go home, just give me a call."  
  
"No, I'm not going anywhere until she wakes up." Logan insisted. "Okay, then. I'll bring you your clothes tomorrow, 'kay?" "Yeah, thanks."  
  
After Bling left, Logan continued stroking Max's sleeping face. Rueful tears were still on his face. 'Lydecker couldn't be more wrong,' he thought. 'This girl cares about others much more than herself. She couldn't be a cold-blooded killer. She's an angel, my angel!' She didn't even move when Logan took her left hand in his. He stayed like that until late at night. Soon, his eyes were drifting. He secured her hand in his and rested his head on the bedside. "Max, please wake up soon. I love you," he whispered before falling asleep.  
  
The next morning, Logan woke up as he felt someone was shaking him. He opened his eyes, sat back and yawned. He looked over his shoulder. "Bling? What time is it?" His voice was hoarse. "It's almost eight. Did you stay up last night? You don't look well."  
  
"I'm fine, really."  
  
"Okay~ I brought your clothes for you to change and also your breakfast."  
  
"Thanks but I don't feel like eating."  
  
"Don't tell me you're not hungry or that you've lost your appetite. You have to eat if you want to take care of Max!"  
  
Logan wheeled to the window and looked up to the bright morning sky. "She saved my life by risking hers. She could've died. Though she was mad at me, she still saved me. If I just got rid of the photos earlier, this wouldn't have happened." Bling said nothing. Logan was about to continue his rueful speech when he heard a small whine. He turned around almost immediately and wheeled over to where his angel lied.   
  
"Max?" He gripped her hand and she gripped back. Her eyelids fluttered open slowly. "Oh, Max! Thank God you're awake! I was so worried!" Logan was overjoyed by the time she opened her eyes completely. She looked around feebly. "Where am I? Why am I here?"  
  
"You're in the hospital. You had an accident, remember?"  
  
Her gaze travelled from Bling to Logan. Frowning, she whispered, "Who are you?"  
  
The smile on Logan's face faded away at her innocent question. "Max, that's not a good joke..." He started to stammer. Max ignored his comment and looked at herself. "Max? Is that my name? I can't remember anything~"  
  
Bling's jaw dropped and Logan's eyes widened.  
  
Good Lord...  
  
It's going to be a long autumn...  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"Like I said earlier, she suffers a quite serious head injury. She was lucky enough not to be in comma and I guess it was some kind of miracle. The head injury plus strong jarring effect as a result of the accident lead her into Amnesia," the doctor explained and Logan raised his brow in response. "She got Amnesia?" The doctor nodded. "Yes, Mr. Cale. Amnesia is a very common effect as a result of severe head injury. Memories are stored in the brain for short- or long-term duration, and either both functions may be impaired by disease or injury. Emotional stress causes Amnesia too but in Ms.Guevara's case, the head injury is the major cause."  
  
"How...How do we restore her memories?"  
  
"There's no exact cure for Amnesia, actually. Sometimes, it depends on luck but you can try to help her remember. Most patients who suffer Amnesia regained their memories by the help of families and friends. The chances are not high and it could take months for the patients to recover."  
  
". . . Well, thanks for the information. We'll try."  
  
"Good luck then, Mr. Cale."  
  
Logan and Bling walked out of the doctor's room with unreadable expression on their faces. "Logan, Max's going to be okay." "I hope so. Could you please tell Cindy about this? I wanna stay here with Max." "Sure. I'll be back later." "Thanks." Bling left and Logan went back to Max. "Hey" he greeted as he opened the door. She was leaning her back against the pillow. "Hey," she greeted back. He wheeled over to her with a worried smile. "You okay?"  
  
"Yep, except for my right arm is broken. You said I had an accident?"  
  
"That's right. You... You really don't remember anything? Your name, where you live and all?"  
  
She shook her head. "I really can't remember anything . . . Wait, there's something though." "What is it?" "Well, I guess it's a name. That's the only thing I have in mind. It's as if it keeps ringing at the back of my head." "A name?" Logan blinked in confusion. She looked straight into his sapphire eyes and queried, "Who is Logan?"  
  
Uh-oh . . .  
  
It's really going to be a long, cold autumn...  
  
  
  
********** To Be Continued ***********  
  
  
A/N: 2nd chapter's done, yea! R&R ^__^ (Chapter III == 'Help me, Logan!') 


	3. Help me, Logan!

Title: Autumn, Cold Autumn  
Author: Angel (angel-cale@glay.org)  
Disc: Dark Angel belongs to Cameron/Eglee Productions and blah, blah, blah.. This fic is for entertainment purposes only. Please don't sue me...I'm just 15 @__@  
A/N: Thank you for the reviews! You guys give me the guts to keep on writing ^_______^ And sorry, this chapter's quite short~ And about my tenses and grammar... Surely, I need some help with them, I guess (thanks again for the one who noted this^_^) I don't speak English all the time, anyway... (Plus, no one reads my writings....)  
=================================================  
  
CHAPTER III == 'Help me, Logan!'  
  
She looked straight into his sapphire eyes and queried, "Who is Logan?"  
  
Logan was completely taken aback by her question. He couldn't believe she remembered only his name. He didn't know how he felt then; a blend of touched and proud. '''She still remembers you despite the fact that both of you had a big fight before the accident,''' his practical side seemed to whisper in a mocking tone. 'What am I gonna do? Just tell her that 'Logan' is my name?' '''You tell me.'''  
  
"Hello? Hey, mister! Earth to you~"  
  
He was brought back to reality as Max waved her left hand before his face. "Oh, sorry! I was just... Never mind. What were you saying?" "I asked you who Logan is." "Ah, of course... Well, Logan is..." He paused. "Is?" "Your brother," he stated anxiously. He could see her blinked a few times before saying, "Oh." At the same time, he argued with his practical side again.  
  
===================================  
  
'''What did you say that for? Her *brother*?'''  
  
'Shut up 'coz I know what I'm doing!'  
  
'''Are you sure??? Or, are you insane?'''  
  
'I told you to SHUT UP!!'  
  
===================================  
  
Max fixed her gaze on Logan again. "Who are you, then?" 'Now, now, now... Good question. Who am I? Let's see...' He pondered for a while before answering, "Locke." "Excuse me?" "My name is Locke. Locke Cale. I'm your.. Well... I'm your best friend." "Locke? You have a nice name." "Oh, thanks." If Bling and Cindy were there, they'd think he'd gone mental by saying so but deep inside, he knew exactly what he was doing and why he did that. Then a realisation crossed his mind. He took out his cell phone and called Bling. "Hello, Bling? Could you come here for a while with Cindy? There's something we need to discuss... Okay, see you guys outside the room later. Bye."  
  
As Logan put his phone back into his pocket, Max gave him a confused look. "What?" He asked, confused as well. "Bling? Cindy? Who are they?" "They're my friends and of course, they're your friends. You know Bling. He's the guy that was here with me earlier this morning." "He's a friend? I thought he's your bodyguard." "Nah, my bodyguard is you~" "What?" "Nothing! Forget what I said. Now... Why don't you take your medication and rest? You need a lot of rest to help you recover." "Aww, I just woke up!" "Don't argue. Take it and sleep." "... Do we always argue like this?" "Oh, that's right! Now take your medication." "I know~"  
  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"WHAT DID YOU TELL HER?!!" Original Cindy and Bling bellowed, wide-eyed as Logan told them what had happened earlier. A few people walking along the corridor turned to look at them as if they were psychotics. Logan quickly raised his finger. "Syhhhh--- This is a hospital and besides, Max is asleep!"  
  
"Logan," Cindy started, "give us a good explanation before we think you're mental."  
  
"I want her to remember it by herself."  
  
"WE BEG YOUR PARDON?" Both Cindy and Bling were totally lost.  
  
"She has a chance to remember everything though not now. I want her to remember and figure out who I am by herself."  
  
Bling and Cindy were rendered speechless. It happened that Logan wanted to test Max's memory. They looked at each other in silence until Bling interfere, "Okay, Logan. Now tell us what you want us to do." "Simple. Just call me 'Locke' whenever Max is around and be careful not to let slip anything about 'Logan'. Then I need your help to go to my penthouse and put aside anything that has my name on." "That's all?" "Yeah...For now, at least." Bling and Cindy nodded in unison although somewhere at the back of their head, they felt like cheating Max.  
  
"It's so unfair, though~" Cindy groaned. "How come she remembers your name instead of mine?"  
  
Both Logan and Bling laughed at her remark.   
  
"Ooh, I smell jealousy here~"  
  
"Shut up~"  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Original Cindy left with Bling after she gave Max a light kiss on her cheek. She was sleeping peacefully when Logan took her left hand in his. He kissed her hand lightly, whispering, "When you remember everything, I don't mind telling the whole world that I'm so in love with you." He rested his head on the bedside and in no time, he fell asleep.  
  
. . .  
  
. . .  
  
. . .  
  
Logan opened his eyes with a very weird feeling deep inside. He looked around and gasped. He wasn't in the hospital. He was on top of a tower or something. Looking down to city below, his heart raced. Surely, he feared heights. "How did I get here?" He wondered. He took a step back and- - - Wait a moment... Took a step back? He looked at his feet and realised that he was standing! "What the hell is going on?"  
  
"You made it here at last..."  
  
He jumped a bit to the soft voice he just heard. Before he could turn around, he saw Max standing beside him. "Max??" Now he was puzzled. "Hi, Logan! How do you like Space Needle?" "Needle? But how did we---" "How did we get up here? C'mon, Logan. This is a dream." 'I should've known,' he thought, running his hands through his spiky hair. "So I see... Whose dream is this, anyway, yours or mine?" At that question, she smiled. "Don't ask me."   
  
They sat down and looked up to the sky. "I'm sorry," she whispered out of the blue, sending sparks of confusion through Logan's head. "What for?" "For acting like a jerk to you. I was just being too emotional, I guess." "I understand. I'm sorry too. I want you to understand that I'm not scared of you. How could I fear the one who saved my life countless of time already?" "Wish I knew that earlier... Speaking of me saving you... I'm sorry."  
  
"What sorry??"  
  
"In real world... You know, for not remembering you."  
  
"Hey, shouldn't I be the one to apologise on that?"  
  
"Why is that?"  
  
"If it wasn't me, you wouldn't have lost your memories."  
  
"It wasn't your fault. I ran forth by myself so it was me."  
  
"But- - -"  
  
"Couldn't we just get it over with? I'm glad you're safe and you should be too."  
  
"Fine, then. Geez, why do we have to argue in dream?"  
  
"You tell me~"  
  
Both of them laughed, realising how childish they were for their age. They stared at the sky as more stars glistened. The air seemed more relaxed as they laughed. Logan was still laughing when Max's face turned serious again. Soon, the laughter faded. "What's wrong, Max?" "I'm so scared... Help me, Logan!" She looked at him and he noticed her eyes were wavering, suppressing the urge to cry. "What can I do? How can I help you?" A drop of tear trickled down her face.  
  
"Help me find my memories back. Promise me you'd help me!"  
  
Smiling, Logan wiped her tears away with his thumb and pulled her into a hug. "Of course I'd help you," he whispered against her hair as he held her close. "I'll try to restore your memories as much as I could. You think I'd leave you not knowing who you are? No, Max. I would never do that to you because I care about you...Way more... I...I..." He hesitated at first but spilt it at last. "I love you."  
  
The three little words that had just escaped his lips were music to her ears. More tears trickled down her face. "You don't know how much that means to me. I've been hoping you do love me because I love you too..." At her words, Logan felt warm and contented as if he's swallowed a mug of hot chocolate in one go. It was relief...They were relieved to know that they felt the same for each other. Max pulled away from him a little and looked into his soulful eyes.  
  
"You'd help me, right?"  
  
"Sure."  
  
"You promise?"  
  
"I swear."  
  
"...Thank you...If ever we don't succeed- - -"  
  
"We'll make it!"  
  
"I say *IF*... If we don't succeed, I want you to know something."  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"Even if I lose these memories of you, I will fall in love with you again. Bear in mind that..."   
  
"…Thank you, Max. I'm honoured…"  
  
Logan leaned to kiss her but when his lips barely touching hers, Max turned into glittering dust and vanished through the night. "Max? Where are you? Max? MAX!!"  
  
. . .  
  
. . .  
  
. . .  
  
Logan awoke with a start. It took a while for him to realise that he was back in the hospital. He looked up and found Max awake. She was looking at the file she had on her lap. "Hey," he greeted, straightening himself on his chair. "Hey, there, sleepyhead. I thought you'd never wake up." He chuckled at her remark. Lost her memory or not, Max was still Max. "Max, what is that file?" "Oh, it's my medical report the doctor left here." "Your medical report? Then why do you have that frown on your face?" "Here." She showed him the file and pointed to the first line written on top.  
  
------------------------------------------  
Patient: Ms. Max Guevara  
Room No.: 452  
------------------------------------------  
  
"Nothing unordinary~" Logan stated, not understanding her point.  
  
"I know but these numbers sure ring a bell. Hmm... 452...452..."  
  
As she kept repeating '452' all over, a look of realisation dawned upon Logan's face. He remembered her designation number, X5-452. If she said the numbers ring a bell, it means she has a higher chance to remember her past. The words she said in his dream echoed in his head, 'Help me find my memories back. Promise me you'd help me!' He made up his mind.  
  
"Max..."  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Maybe we should start trying to make you remember. They say the sooner, the better."  
  
"Could it be painful?"  
  
"I don't think so."  
  
"Okay, we can try~ But... Does number 452 has something to do with my past as well?"  
  
"Yeah, but I must warn you. It wasn't a pleasant memory."  
  
". . .Spill."  
  
  
  
  
********** To Be Continued ***********  
Chapter IV == Bittersweet 


	4. Bittersweet

**Title:** Autumn, Cold Autumn

**Disc:** Dark Angel belongs to Cameron/Eglee Productions and blah, blah, blah.. This fic is for entertainment purposes only. Please don't sue me...

**A/N:** This is another short chapter… Thank you for the reviews! You guys give me the guts to keep on writing ^_______^ And about beta-reading... I think I'll skip it for this fic (since I don't spend much time online...Mom makes me pay the internet bills *__*) So, just please bear with me~ 

**P/S:** Reviews, ideas are welcomed and flames are welcomed to my inbox.

// ... // = Thoughts

~* ... *~ = Flashback/ voice over

=================================================

CHAPTER IV == 'Bittersweet'

   "I must warn you. It wasn't a pleasant memory."

   ". . .Spill."

   Logan was about to open his mouth when someone knocked the door. Both of the turned their heads as the door creaked open. A tall, thin doctor with a pair of frameless spectacles stepped in. "Good evening, Mr. Cale, Ms. Guevara," the doctor greeted as he flashed them a pleasant smile. Logan took a little glance over his nametag. "Good evening, Doctor Wayne."

   "I hope I'm not interrupting something."

   Max shook her head. "It's okay. Mr. Cale here was going to tell me about---Mmph!!" Logan covered her mouth with his hand before she could finish her sentence. Startled, she shot him a what-the-hell-is-that-for look which he ignored as he shot her a don't-mention-anything glare in return. He decided maybe it's best if he speaks to the doctor instead of Max. "It's nothing, actually. Can we help you with anything?" He asked, his hand still on her mouth.

   "I appreciate if you'd hand me the file you got there, Ms. Guevara."

   "Oh, sure!"

   Dr. Wayne went through the report thoroughly and nodded several times with a glint in his eyes. Max wondered how could a doctor who saw death everyday could be so cool. "Well," he began, closing the file; "I think I have a good news for you."

   "Good news?" Logan and Max echoed.

   "Ms. Guevara's healing very fast. It's pretty extraordinary but I'm sure she'll be in control of her right arm completely by the end of the week. Honestly, I never met anyone who heals this fast. It must be a gift of God."

   // Must be the stem cells // Logan thought silently. "So, are you trying to tell us that she can go home soon?"

   "Yes, she can go home tomorrow."

   // Thank God! // "Is there anything else?"

   "Let me see... She has to come here next Sunday for her follow-up and then on Monday, she has to come here for her MRI. After that, we'll inform you the date for another follow-up by phone. Other than that, everything's perfect." Dr. Wayne wrote something on the file as he told them so, emphasizing the word 'perfect'. Then he undid the bandage on Max's head (revealing a little nasty cut) and checked her up a bit more before finally saying goodbye to her and Logan.

   "The doctor must be nuts," Max grumbled as the doctor left. "What did he mean by 'perfect'? I can't even remember anything and he said I'm perfect? He's ridiculous!" Then she turned to Logan and spit, "You too!" into his face. 

   "What about me?" He asked, startled.

   "Why did you cover my mouth?"

   "To shut you up and prevent you from talking too much. Besides, with all the people in this hospital, I don't think it's safe to talk."

   "Why isn't it safe?"

   "It's dangerous if someone overhear us. With your present condition, it's obvious that your enemies would spring into action and take advantage to capture you. I can't risk that to happen."

   "My enemies? Wow,wow,wow, hold on there, Locke! You make it sounds like I'm a convicted murderer on the run or something."

   "You're right for 'on the run' part but for the 'convicted murderer', you're definitely not."

   "Oh... Whatever~ I think I'm glad to be able to get out of this place soon. I don't know why but I really think I hate this place."

   "Sure thing. You hate hospitals."

   "I do?"

   "Yes, you do."

   "Why is that?"

   "I'm not telling you now."

   They were in the middle of conversation when an attendant brought in a tray of food. "Oh, good! I'm hungry!" Max squeaked, her left hand reaching for the tray. Somehow, Logan reached the tray before her and put it out of her reach. "Hey!" She growled as he pulled a boyish grin.

   The next thirty minutes, they spent time laughing with Logan feeding her as she had her right hand bandaged . . .

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

== The next day

== Foggle Towers

== 11.25 a.m

   "Oh, wow! Amazing place you got here!" Max said in amazement as she stalked around Logan's penthouse. He could just smile at her childish act as he wheeled himself to the kitchen. He felt really, really sick at the sight of Max not remembering his place. Original Cindy nearly kicked him when he told her Max was staying at his place until she recovers. He insisted keeping her there to make sure of her safety. Plus, he knows Max's past more than Cindy. At the time being, he just prayed Zack wouldn't turn up. Logan had the feeling that Zack was going to kill him on the spot once he found out what exactly happened. 

   He thought it was the best time to start cooking lunch. Meanwhile, Max was enjoying the view, thinking how exactly did she make friend with a rich guy like Logan (or Locke). Alas, she came across the mirror Logan showed her face at when they first met. Of course she didn't remember it but she felt something familiar about the mirror. A very familiar presence... For a moment, she thought she heard voices...

-----------------------------------------------------------

   ~* _American, neoclassic gold leaf detail, late 1800s. I could probably fence it for two or three grand_ *~

   ~* _No, I meant this...probably the most singularly beautiful face I've ever seen_ *~

-----------------------------------------------------------

   She stepped closer to the mirror and touched it.

-----------------------------------------------------------

   ~* _Expensive gifts, surprise late-night visits, over-the-top flattery. Do you always come on this strong?_ *~

   ~* _Only when I meet someone I have to know everything about_ *~

-----------------------------------------------------------

   Something was trying to pop out of her head as she continued staring into her reflection. Mixed voices echoed at the back of her head. // Something must have happened…// She thought curiously. Somewhere inside her aching head, she felt like flashes of scenes being displayed randomly, but not clearly. Hand still touching the mirror, she leaned her forehead against the glass and closed her eyes. She opened them back almost immediately as she thought she saw an image of Logan standing behind her in front of that very same mirror. 

   Her heart started racing. With a mixture of shocked and confused, she stepped back, hands trembling. Cold sweat began cascading down her cheek. Without a second thought, she ran as fast as she could to the kitchen screaming, "LOCKE!! LOCKE!!" Logan almost cut himself as she screamed hysterically. "What is it, Max? Is something wrong?" He put the knife down and looked at her, puzzled. She settled herself on the counter and calmed herself down. "Locke… How could you be on that wheelchair?"

   // Now what drives her to ask me this? // "Why do you ask?"

   "I think… I think I remember something…"

   Her words sent a glimmer of hope into his heart. Deep inside, he thought he'd made a right decision by bringing her to his house. "What do you remember?" // Does she know already that my name isn't 'Locke'? //

   "I think… I mean I *THINK* I remember being with you here, in front of the mirror but… You were standing…" It took a minute for him to digest her words. Smiling, he wheeled himself closer to her and looked at her in the eye. "That was a long time ago… Not so long, actually. It happened when you and I were leading our totally different ways. I could stand on my feet back then. I was a… Well, a toffee-nosed guy, I admit it now. A short while after that, this guy named Bruno Anselmo who worked for Edgar Sonrisa, shot me. Due to the spinal cord injury, I became a paraplegic."

   "I'm sorry…"

   "Don't be. It's so not you to be. Besides, I'm grateful for the accident, though…"

   "You insane? How could you be??"

   "After the accident, it's true that I lost my legs. But I got a very special something in return."

   "What is it?"

   "You." His smile grew wilder.

   Her face turned bright red and she tried to hide it by looking away. // It must be a pain for him to see me like this, not remembering him when we used to be a good friend… // She thought bitterly. // The least I could do now is to try to get my memories back, remember the times we spent together… //

   "Max," he squeezed her hand to draw her attention. "Why don't you go watch TV or get some sleep while I make lunch?" "Umm, okay~ I'll be—Wait, you *COOK* ??" "Yep, you used to say I'm the best chef in the world," he joked. 

   "That's great! Can you teach me? I can try to cook when my arm recovers, can I?" 

   "I don't know. The last time you tried to cook, I thought my kitchen was on fire." 

   "What?!" 

   "Kidding!" 

   "You're a jerk~"

   "Aww, you hurt me~"

  "C'mon, Locke! Get started and tell me what you know about me after lunch."

   "Hoo—kay, ma'am~"

********** To Be Continued ***********

Chapter V == Reminiscence – I

P.S 

A short fourth chapter… I'm experiencing another headache today. I hope this chapter goes well ^__^ About the MRI thingy, I put it in because when I write this, I just came home from my MRI appointment in the hospital~ (I hate hospitals…) Newayz, R&R please! Reviews, ideas are welcomed and flames are welcomed to my inbox.


	5. Reminiscence

**Title:** Autumn, Cold Autumn  
**Disc:** Dark Angel belongs to Cameron/Eglee Productions and blah, blah, blah.. This fic is for entertainment purposes only. Please don't sue me...  
**A/N: **There goes a short fifth chapter. Sorry for the delay. My health kept me busy. I think I'm ending this fic soon before I start my M/L AltFic. As usual, reviews, ideas and flames are welcomed!!  
   
// ... // = Thoughts  
~* ... *~ = Flashback/ voice over

-------------- **CHAPTER V **--------------  
Reminiscence  
-----------------------------------------------

   "That was a great lunch! Where did you learn to cook all that?" Max took her last sip of her orange juice eagerly. Logan could only laugh as she complimented about his cooking skills.

   "I have my ways. So, why don't you wait for me in the living room while I do the dishes?"

   "Okay~"

   Max waited on the couch, fiddling with her curls. She gazed into the distance, through the window. Sometimes ago, she felt like she had been on the same couch and did what she was doing. Just sat there, and stared out of the window… At night, as the rain continued wetting the damp soil of Seattle…

   She closed her eyes. Flashes of memory played randomly at the back of her head.

*********************************

   ~* _You really want to see one of my poems?_ *~

   ~* _Only if you're cool with it._ *~

*********************************

   "Max! Max!"

   Max opened her eyes. She was sitting on the couch with her left hand over her face. Her head ached pretty badly a while ago and her eyes were watery. It took a while for her to realise that Logan was looking at her with concern, looking terrified at the same time.

   "You okay? You were clutching your head."

   She nodded, in confusion and a little headache. "I'm fine. It's just that my head aches when I tried to think or remember something."

   "Relax. We have all the time in the world. Don't push yourself too hard."

   // Yea, all the time in the world… // She thought, innocently. The headache eased up a bit and vanished. She brought her gaze to Logan and smile. "Will you tell me who I am now?" Logan nodded and began telling her everything. He avoided using the term 'killing machine' for fear that she might flinch. Max couldn't help but chuckle when Logan told her they first met when she broke into his apartment. 

   "What's so funny? It took a while to replace the window you broke and not to mention an amount of money I have to spend," he said in a mocking tone. Logan even pouted to add to the fact that he was faking the anger.

*********************************

   ~* _You're a thief?_ *~

   ~* _Girl's got to make a living_ *~

   ~* _Thank God_ *~

   ~* _First time I ever heard that one_ *~

   ~* _I was expecting someone else_ *~

   ~* _Guess it wasn't the pizza delivery guy_ *~

*********************************

   "Max! Max!"

   Again, she was brought back to reality by his voice. She was covering her face in her palm, pale. "Uh.. I.. I'm okay." Logan frowned and transferred to the couch, beside her. "Don't tell me you're fine. I know you're not." "I'm fine! My head aches when I thought I remember something." "So I told you not to work too hard on that." "… I have to… I have to remember everything." "Why?" "For myself and for…You."

   For a minute, Logan was rendered speechless. "Me??" She nodded. "You have that pained look whenever you look at me. I thought, the least I could do to make you feel better is to remember everything about you soon." He stared at her, speechless, as she looked straight into his eyes. "Max," he began. "You don't really have to do that." "No, I have to. Besides, I want to know who this nice guy beside me really is," with that, she winked.

   // This girl needs a peace of mind // Logan thought. // I think I have an idea. //

   "Max."

   "Mmhm?"

   "It's autumn."

   "I know. Why?"

   "Well, I thought maybe we should go somewhere we could relax and taste the sweet scent of autumn. It's good for you. You need—"

   "What? Peace of mind? Okay, where and when are we going?"

   // Typical Max. // He chuckled inwardly. // Always excited when it comes to vacation. // "Umm… We'll go to my uncle's cabin. It's quiet there, with the presence of trees and all. It's relaxing to watch the leaves turn brown and fall, you know. And I think we could go there next Tuesday, after your MRI."

   "Sounds great but… MRI… Do I have to have it? Do I have to stay still with my body in a damn machine for over an hour?"

   "Max… We have to make sure you're okay. You have to have it to make sure beside you losing your memories, you don't suffer other neuro-damage."

   "Uhh, yeah… Magnetic resonance or whatever… I still say I hate hospitals."

   "Yeah, yeah. I think I understand that."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

== Teusday

== The Cabin

== 1.35 p.m

   "Oh, my God!! This is getting pretty interesting!" Max claimed as she jumped out of the Aztek. She swirled herself around and gaped at the sight of falling leaves, brown leaves all over the place. The air was nice and revitalizing, though a bit chilly. The sight of the so-innocent Max scratched Logan's heart again. // If only she could remember… // He thought silently. His mind drifted off to the moment when he thought he'd lost her. The moment she turned back then framed his face in her hands and kissed him on the lips was still fresh as if it just happened yesterday. The different was that she couldn't remember it now.

   He was right, but maybe he was wrong. Max was starting to feel weird as she glanced over to the car. More echoing voices danced at the back of her head.

*********************************

~* _You're going to be okay_? *~

~* _Oh, yeah. I'll be better than okay. It's the way I'm made. It's you I'm worried about_ *~

~* _I'll miss you_ *~

~* _You could always ditch it all and go on the lam with me. Great way to visit exotic places, meet new people_ *~

~* _I'd just slow you down_ *~

~* _It's okay_ *~ 

~* _I have to go back. Someone has to watch out for the downtrodden. Blah blah, woof woof, right?_ *~

~* _Right_ *~

~* _Take care of yourself_ *~

~* _You, too_ *~

*********************************

   Then for a moment she thought she saw herself kissing him, in that very same car. There came his desperate whisper, ~* _Just go_ *~ // What's all this? // Her heartbeat went faster. // Why do I have this flashback? Did it really happen sometimes ago? Was there the time when I had to leave him? Did we kiss? Did all that happen here? // Her mind was suddenly flooded with unanswered questions. "Max," he called from the doorway, catching her attention. "C'mon in. I'll show you your room." "Oh, one moment." She took a last glance at the car and joined him inside.

   Once she reached the living room, she had another flashback. An image of herself sitting across a blond guy with confused face came into mind. She didn't know the guy, but it's not Logan. She seemed to recall the guy sweeping away a piece of her hair from her face.

*********************************

~* _You're going to miss him, aren't you?_ *~

~* _You think that's stupid_ *~

~* _No. A part of me wants the same things -- friends . . . a place where I belong . . . someone to care about_ *~

~* _Thought it was a sentimental lie_ *~

~* _Even I have my moments of weakness_ *~

*********************************

   "Max, you okay?" Logan brought her back to the real world by squeezing her hand. She nodded weakly. Logan cooked lunch and they ate together, laughing. Then they play a game of chess and for the first time, Logan won. Later that evening, they took a little walk around the place. It allowed Logan to make a mental note: _Max likes autumn_. He laughed at the way she acted like a little kid over falling leaves. She told him it reminded her of falling snow. Logan smiled and made another mental note: _Bring her back here someday in winter_.

   That night, when Logan had gone to bed, Max sat in the living room before the fireplace. The dancing flame brought back memories, making her smile. She was sure she remembered something about the cabin. She decided to tell Logan about it in the morning, but…

   "Hey," Logan greeted softly as he transferred to the couch. // I must have been lost too deep in my thoughts to not notice he'd wheeled himself in here! Oh, never mind… It's about damn time. // "Couldn't sleep?" She asked just as softly. He nodded and she smiled. "Me too."

   There was a rare silence between them…

   "So…" They began in unison. Realising what just happened, they laughed lightly. "You first," Max said, still laughing. "No, you first." "Oh, okay. I was about to say you have the six sense, Locke." "Really? Why is that?" "Well, I was thinking about talking to you. I thought I'd tell you in the morning but you came in and now that you're here, I guess I should just tell you."

   "Tell me? About what?"

   "…I remember."

   "Excuse me??"

   "I remember what happened at this cabin sometimes ago."

   His smile faded away at once. "Oh…"

  
**-------** TO BE CONTINUED **--------  
Chapter VI == Something Sad**

**------------------------------------------  
P.S:** Thanks for the ideas and reviews. I really appreciate them. To everyone who's pissed of Logan's name (Locke), try to bear with it. It's to strengthen the ending ^____^  And to those concerned about me and my MRI… I'm okay (I think so). It's just that I've been having this severe headache for years before I was admitted to the hospital two months ago as the pain got worse (I've been quite a weak girl since I was little, anyway~ Never into sports, just stick with my pens and books @__@ ). Other than that, I think I'm okay. Thanks for the shower of 'I-hope-you'll-be-fine' e-mails J. 

**==** One note here... I'm going to write the next chapters with a little reference from Max Alan Collins's **Dark Angel: Before The Dawn**. Well, something about Seth, The Chinese Clan and Space Needle ^__^

**Lotsa Loves**,

++ Angel Cale ++  
angel-cale@glay.org  
http://angeldestiny.dot.nu


	6. Something Sad

**Title:** Autumn, Cold Autumn [6/7?]  
**Disc:** Dark Angel belongs to Cameron/Eglee Productions and blah, blah, blah.. This fic is for entertainment purposes only. Please don't sue me...  
**A/N: **There goes a short fifth chapter. Sorry for the delay. My health kept me busy. I think I'm ending this fic soon before I start my M/L AltFic. As usual, reviews, ideas and flames are welcomed!!  Sorry for the delay. I was busy with my websites lately. I was trying to re-design my Cardcaptor Sakura site and move my collective to a new server. Plus, the countdown to my exam result is making me kinda psychotic! The Seth and Needle idea came from Dark Angel: Before The Dawn ^_^ I'll post the next chapter when I got back from my family trip to Penang next week ^_^

  
   
// ... // = Thoughts  
~* ... *~ = Flashback/ voice over

-------------- **CHAPTER VI **--------------  
Something Sad  
-----------------------------------------------

   "I remember what happened at this cabin sometimes ago."

   His smile faded away at once. "Oh…"

   "I remember once, something big happened and I have to leave Seattle with this guy. I… I couldn't remember who he is, though."

   "He's your brother Zack."

   "Right, Zack then… There's this time when the bad guys were tracking me down. You and Zack rescued me. Then you drove us to this cabin. Is that right?"

   He nodded with a smile.

   "We had a little chat, and I left the car. But then I turned back to you and…" She paused, blushing. His smile grew wider. "I'm listening," he mocked. She hesitated for a moment and her cheek turned even redder. Drawing a deep breath, she spoke in a barely audible voice. "… and I kissed you." Logan was trying hard to contain his laughter that was dying to burst at the sight of the stammering Max. Her cheek was as red as a tomato as she looked away, trying to hide her embarrassment.

   Logan seemed to notice it when he said, "It's okay, Max. We already talked about it." // Without being honest though…// Still flushed, she turned to look at him. "We did?" "Yep." "Um, okay then. Now where was I? Oh, yeah! After that, you left. Zack and I had a little conversation later that night. I can't really remember what we talked about but it's like he was advising me. Then all I remember is that I was rushing to the hospital the next morning. I can't remember the other things. Does that ring a bell to you?"

   That surgery… Should he mention it to her? Ahh, though she couldn't remember, she was still Max! "Er… That was the day I had my surgery. You came back despite the danger awaiting you and transfused your blood to me. If it weren't you, I would have died." // But that way you won't lose your memories…//.

   She frowned. She never thought there were bitter memories between them. // It must have been painful. I wonder how he could survive the day. This guy must be very tough.// She thought bitterly. Obvious to Logan, she was starting to get suspicious. She could sense he was hiding something but couldn't make it out. They sat together in silence, watching the flame danced merrily. Max closed her eyes, trying to remember what else happened.

   "What are you thinking about?" Logan asked, half smiling but of course she couldn't see it. "Just about things." She could hear him chuckle. "What?" "You know, your favourite thinking spot is top of Space Needle. You told me you always go there to think." 

   "Really? Did I tell you why?" 

   "No." 

   "Oh… Can I go there?" 

   "Sure! I'll bring you there when we get back but I have to tell you first. I'm not following you up there."

   "Why is that?"

   "Reason number one, I'm on this wheelchair."

   "That doesn't matter!"

   "Doesn't matter if you want to see me falling down. Reason number two, I'm afraid of heights."

   "YOU ARE??? But your penthouse is…Is…"

   "I don't look down so it's okay."

   "Funny! You seemed too tough to me to be afraid of heights."

   "Don't make fun of me!"

   "Sorry, I'm trying to get used to it. You? Afraid of heights? Ha,ha!!"

   "Hey! Now you're laughing at me?"

   "Ha,ha,ha!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

   A week had passed and they were back. Max was standing on top of Space Needle, looking around. Fragment of memories started drifting back into her mind. Without realising, a silent tear trickled down her cheek. //Why am I crying?// She wondered as she wiped it away. As she sat down and closed her eyes, a dreadful image invaded her mind. A guy with military-short brownish hair; narrow angular face, green eyes… Falling off the tower.

   Her head felt like it was on fire. She clutched it with both hands and closed her eyes tighter. More memories drifted back in. Gunshots… Screams… Blood… Opening her eyes, she ran down to the observation deck. Everything was a mess there. Shattered glasses were everywhere. She remembered now. She remembered what happened there not so long ago. It was the reason why she kept coming back to the tower. 

*********************************

   ~* _Sorry, Max_ *~

*********************************

   It was a terrible yet sacred place, she remembered. Her brother died here, she knew. She came back not only to think but also to be with her dead brother… // _Seth_…// Wiping away her tears, she took the elevator down and got back to where Logan awaited her in his car. He wondered what made her so grim looking. "Max, are you okay?" His overpowering concern for her urged him to ask as soon as she settled down on the seat beside him. Max nodded and tried to form a smile but to no avail. The sky turned dark and soon, rain began wetting the soil. "Let's go home. I don't feel very good."

   Logan agreed wholeheartedly and drove them back to his penthouse. He loved it when Max said 'home'. Later on, Max stood watching the rain from the penthouse window. Night was approaching and the temperature was dropping dramatically. // It rained like this when the tragedy struck.// She thought, remembering.   
   Logan eyed her worriedly and wheeled towards her. "What invaded your mind?" He asked softly. "… I watched him die.." "What?" "I watched him die… There, up the observation deck at Needle." Logan was lost. "Who?" "My brother, Seth."  
   At the mention of Seth's name, Logan's stomach did a ten-point swan dive. His face went pale. "You… You said you watched him die there? How?" His voice was shaky. Logan strongly hoped she didn't notice it. If he wasn't a paraplegic, he was sure his feet would be shaking by now. Max sighed. She walked to the sofa and settled down. Logan sat on his wheelchair before her, looking into her dark eyes.

   "I was after these bad guys, Jarred Sterling and Kafelnikov. I wanted to take vengeance for my friends. I went to Space Needle after finding out they were having a deal with the Koreans. On my way up, I met Seth. He said what was going on up there was the only chance for him to run away from Manticore forever. He even invited me to come with him. I didn't trust him at first so we argued. Then he rushed upstairs before me and I followed. Seth was already fighting with the bad guys. I only joined the fight when I saw one of Sterling's guards pointing his gun to Seth. To cut the story short, he got shot several times by that damn Kafelnikov and was fighting over the briefcase with Sterling." She paused for a while. "Are you sure you want to hear this?"

   Logan nodded. "It's okay. Go on."

   "Sterling slipped on the wet cement and they both pitched over the edge. I whipped the rope I have to Seth and he was hanging on to it. His other hand held the briefcase, where Sterling was hanging. I was going to pull him up when Kafelnikov distracted me. I had to fight him and I got him off the tower. Then I went over to pull Seth up. Suddenly, the trio of elevators dinged at once. We both knew Lydecker and the TAC team were there. I looked down at Seth and saw what he was up to at once. He…" Her voice broke.

   "He… He was wounded and couldn't escape. He didn't want to go back to Manticore so he.. He.. He let go of the rope and… And…" She couldn't say anything more as she broke down. Logan held her in his arms as she cried her heart out. Fascinating enough for her to remember such bitter memories in details. Logan got the answer to a few of his unanswered questions now. He decided when she recovers; it was time to tell her everything. Yes, EVERYTHING. For now, he had to comfort her. A few moments later, he felt her body shook. Wait, she had stopped crying so why… // Oh, no! This isn't good.// "Max?" Her body started shaking more violently. "W-w—What's –wr—wrong w-with—me??" She stammered, even her voice shook. 

   Logan panicked. // Damn it! She's having a seizure! //  
   

  
**-------** TO BE CONTINUED **--------  
Chapter VII == Logan  
--------------------------------------------**

++ Angel Cale ++  
angel-cale@glay.org  
http://www.celestial-angel.net  
 


	7. Logan

**Title:** Autumn, Cold Autumn [7/7]  
**Disc:** Dark Angel belongs to Cameron/Eglee Productions and blah, blah, blah.. This fic is for entertainment purposes only. Please don't sue me...  
**A/N: **Finally!! Sorry for the delay. My websites keeping me busy! As usual, reviews, ideas and flames are welcomed!!    
**P/S:** Join my Dark Angel board @ http://www.celestial-angel.net/board !!

  
   
// ... // = Thoughts

-------------- **CHAPTER VII **--------------  
Logan  
-----------------------------------------------

  
   Tic… Toc… Tic… Toc…

   The clock on the wall kept on ticking. Three hours had passed. Max's seizure had subsided and she was sleeping soundly in Logan's bedroom. Logan was holding her hand and eyed her worriedly. He was glad that the liquid tryptophan worked or else, he would've gone mad. He remembered the last time she had a seizure. She looked so weak and fragile. But now, she looked weaker and more fragile. That fact was driving him insane. He feared something might happen to her. What if the tryptophan doesn't work? What if she goes into coma? What if she d - - //_ No! _// His mind screamed. // _She's going to be okay… She's going to be okay…//_ He repeated it in his mind all over again until he fell asleep.

. . .

. . .

. . .

   Max looked around. // Where am I? // She didn't recognize the place. All she knew was that she was in a forest; deep in a forest, to be precise. No one was there. Panicked, she started walking aimlessly, hoping to find the way out. Instead, she found herself deeper into the unknown forest. Suddenly, three dark crows flew down a tree towards her. She was about to dodge when one of them flew right threw her. 

   Her jaw dropped. // What the hell just happened? // She looked up to see the leaves falling. Just like the crows, the leaves floated through her. Then a realization hit her. She was invisible. // If I'm invisible, then this must be a dream. // When she was about to pinch herself, she heard voices. They sounded so familiar. She ventured further until she reached a scene that caused her to chill. Before her, she saw herself holding a young man. He looked scared and exhausted. 

   "Tell me about the good place, " she heard her other-self said.

   The boy smiled, "Where no one ever gets punished." 

   "And no one gets yelled at." 

   "And nobody disappears. And when you wake up in the morning, you can stay in bed as long as you –"

   Max screamed when she saw her other self snapped the boy's neck. More images played randomly at the back of her head… Images after images after…

…

…

…

   "AAAAAHH!" Logan woke up to the loud shriek. Max was tossing and clutching her head on the bed. "Max!" He quickly shifted into the bed and held her tight. Then she quieted down. "Syhh, it's okay. You were having a nightmare." She closed her eyes and finally hugged him back. Her heartbeat slowed down as he caressed her back. "What happened to me?" She managed to weakly say. "You had a seizure but it's okay now." "Oh… My head felt like exploding. Could you get me a glass of water, please?" "Sure." He gave her hand another squeeze before settling back into his wheelchair and went to the kitchen.

   Max watched him until he was out of her sight and sighed. She looked at the calendar hanging on the wall. Her lips curved into a smile. She was snapped out of her little thought when Logan wheeled towards her with a glass of cold water. She took it from him and emptied the glass eagerly. "I feel better now. Thanks, Logan." 

   "Don't mention it and… What did you say?" 

   "Huh? I said thanks." 

   "No. I mean, what did you just called me??" 

   "I called you Logan of course! Why?" 

   "You mean you remember everything?" She nodded.

   "Really??"

   "Yea."

   "Thank God!!"

   He hugged her happily and she hugged back. "I thought you wouldn't remember me anymore. I was so scared!" She couldn't help but smile at his words. He'd taken a good care for her the whole time and she was grateful for that. It wasn't long until he pulled away and his expression grew serious again. "Max, although I'm so happy that you got your memories back, I have to tell you something." He said seriously. Max nodded. "I have to tell you something too. You first."

   "Okay.. First, I'm sorry about everything that happened. I just wanted you to know that I'm not scared of you. I could never be. You saved me countless of time already. I can never be scared of you." "That's okay, Logan. I'm sorry too. Guess I was being too emotional."

   He smiled a little. "Then about… About…" 

   "About what?"

   "About Seth." He saw her winced as he said the name but still continued. "He used to work for Eyes Only sometimes ago. The night you said he died, he was doing me a favour. It was me who told him about the deal in Needle." 

   "I know."

   "What?"

   "I know he was working for Eyes Only. But his death wasn't your fault."

   "You knew it all along? Why didn't you tell me?!"

   "Because I figured you'd tell me when you're ready."

   Logan sighed. "I still feel guilty. Sometimes I thought about what might have happened if I didn't tell him. Maybe he would still be alive now."

   "But if you didn't tell him, I may have never met him."

   "But still… A few months later, you came into my life. When I found out who you are, I was torn in half. To tell you or not about Seth. When we became friends, I get more scared to tell you the truth. Scared that you might blame me for his death. I… I don't know. I was scared I'd lose you."

   "You'll never lose me, Logan."

   He pulled her into his hug and smiled. How lucky he was to find Max. To think back, she wouldn't be here if he had never been shot. It was truly a blessing in disguise. "Logan." "Umhm?" "When I was at the hospital, I had a wonderful dream. We were up there on Needle, talking." "Really? I had a similar dream too. We sat on top of Needle, looking at the stars. And we talked about something beautiful." "Beautiful how?" "I can't describe it."

   There was a long silence…

   "Max."

   "Logan."

   They both said in unison and laughed. "You first, Logan." "I've been meaning to say this for a while now but I don't know how."

   "If you can't say, why don't you show me?"

   "Ahh, good idea! Close your eyes."

   "Why?"

   "Close your eyes."

   "Okay, okay."

   She closed her eyes and felt Logan's thumb tracing her lips. Soon, she felt his breath on her skin and before she know it, Logan's lips were on hers. // _He's kissing me!_ // Her mind screamed in joy. When she felt him pulling away, she opened her eyes. "Need I say more?" He whispered into her ears. She couldn't help but giggle. "Not really. I was hoping maybe you can show me again" "Sure, why not." 

   With that, he kissed her again. The kiss was sweet, nothing like their goodbye kiss at the cabin. This kiss carries underlying meaning of things to come. As both of them pulled away to breathe, she whispered playfully into his ear, "Logan is evil. Locke is more decent." 

   "Oh, really?" 

   "Yeah." 

   "Too bad for you, then. Locke is not coming back."

   "But the evil Logan can be so sweet when he cooks for me."

   "Why do I feel like I already knew that would come?"

   "Because you know me too well."

   Before he could say anything, she already pulled him into another kiss…

  
**==== FIN ====**

There! Finished, finally. Sorry for the delay. I'll post my new M/L fic (Another Logan) ASAP ^_^ Hope you guys like this one and thanks to everyone who had been supporting me. I luv you guys!  
**p.s**  
Check out my blog from time to time to know how I'm doing w/ my fics^_^ If you love M/L, I hope you'll love my site!

++ Angel Cale ++  
angel-cale@glay.org  
http://www.celestial-angel.net  
 


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